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About this book<br />

<strong>Book</strong> <strong>Club</strong> <strong>Discussion</strong> <strong>Guide</strong><br />

The King Whisperers:<br />

Power behind the Throne,<br />

From Rasputin to Rove<br />

by <strong>Kerwin</strong> <strong>Swint</strong><br />

Pages: 336<br />

Format: Hardcover, Nook, iPad<br />

ISBN: 1402772017<br />

Publisher: Union Square Press<br />

As prepared by Novel Publicity, LLC<br />

Some stories are so terrible, so fantastic, so unreal that you just know they had to have<br />

happened.<br />

Take Aggripina the Younger, the devoted mother would stop at nothing to secure her son’s<br />

emperorship or Rome—incest, murder, cunning, whatever it took. Or Kautilya, the BC-era<br />

warlord who knew his most powerful weapon was a beautiful woman and a lovesick enemy.<br />

How about the monster Heinrich Himmler whose desire to build a race-based society of<br />

supermen led to the twentieth century’s most horrifying event, the Holocaust?<br />

These figures were all wise, ambitious, determined. They knew what they wanted and, in<br />

most cases, they knew how to get it. Power was their motivation.<br />

These are not the great villains of history; they are not the mighty rulers of nations. They are<br />

the King Whisperers, a special breed of politician that thrives behind-the-scenes. They are the<br />

power behind the throne, not that which is seated upon it.<br />

Too often their stories have been discussed as they relate to those of the rulers they served;<br />

some have been overlooked almost entirely. The King Whisperers: Power behind the throne<br />

from Rasputin to Rove by Dr. <strong>Kerwin</strong> <strong>Swint</strong> introduces the reader to 47 figures ranging from<br />

biblical times to the modern day.<br />

They are sorted into ten archetypal groups: Machiavellians, Empire Builders, Kingmakers,<br />

Spies, Silver-Tongued Devils, Generals, Rebels, the Truly Evil, Fixers, and Schemers. Each<br />

category is defined for the reader before delving into its explanations of the four to seven<br />

highlighted individuals.<br />

The King Whisperers offers an in-depth look at these great manipulators, sometimes exploring<br />

multiple figures that shaped a single era or movement, sometimes juxtaposing enemies and


highlighting their similar strategies. <strong>Swint</strong> explores his content in such a manner that it caters<br />

to both the historical expert and the ignoramus. He draws intriguing parallels across<br />

archetypal groups and poses questions which the reader may choose to ignore or to<br />

contemplate at length (this is especially true of the chapter on “the truly evil” King<br />

Whisperers).<br />

The author’s careful attention to detail and fluid writing style make this book an intriguing<br />

and informative read. Its well-paced discussion and organized structure allows for the reader<br />

to pick it up at will or to read it straight-through in a single sitting.<br />

The King Whisperers by <strong>Kerwin</strong> <strong>Swint</strong> tells the stories of some of the greatest power players<br />

and schemers in world history, from the ancient world to modern day.<br />

Although they ruled from the shadows, history has not forgotten.<br />

Interview with the author<br />

Q: What inspired you to begin researching and writing The King Whisperers?<br />

A: I've always been interested in political advisors, the behind-the-scenes people we<br />

sometimes think of as evil geniuses - American political consultants for example. I<br />

thought there was a need to tell the stories of the some of the greatest.<br />

Q: If you had to give a Webster definition of “King Whisperer,” what would it be?<br />

A: Someone who either is, or aspires to be, the power behind the throne.<br />

Q: Are you the first to coin the term “King Whisperer?” What made you choose to<br />

classify the figures this way? Were there any other possible terms that you considered<br />

using before landing on “King Whisperer?”<br />

A: I can't say I'm the first to ever use the term, but I'm not aware of it being used in this<br />

way before. My wife's favorite TV program is The Dog Whisperer, and I thought<br />

"well that works in politics too." Another title I considered was "Princes and Pawns."<br />

Q: You chose to chronicle figures from ten distinct archetypes. What made you choose<br />

ten? Are there other categories that could be included?<br />

A: I tried to think of categories of leaders and styles that would fit certain individuals<br />

from history and politics. Some figures in the book could fit into more than one<br />

category, but I'm happy with the way it turned out. And 10 is a nice, round number.<br />

Q: Do you have a favorite figure that is explored in the book? What makes him or her<br />

stand out the most to you?


A: I've long been a student of Machiavelli, he would be bemused to know his impact on<br />

western political culture. I also enjoyed writing about Francis Walsingham, Warwick<br />

the King Maker, and Dick Cheney.<br />

Q: Did you have any difficulty in choosing a single category for each figure? Can some<br />

King Whisperers accurately fit into more than one category?<br />

A: Yes, there were some that were difficult to put in just one category - Zhou Enlai for<br />

example, or Oliver Cromwell.<br />

Q: Do you believe that a certain category of King Whisperers has proven to be more<br />

successful than the others? How can we measure success when it comes to indirect<br />

political power?<br />

A: Success is often measured in relative terms, but most of the figures in the book<br />

achieved much of what they set out to do. The Fixers from Chapter 9 were very<br />

successful, while some of the Schemers from Chapter 10 ultimately fell short.<br />

Q: Were there figures that you wished to include in the book but had to leave out due to<br />

space or other constraints?<br />

A: Yes, I could write two or three volumes.<br />

Q: How much time did it take you to plan, research, and write this book?<br />

A: About a year.<br />

Q: What’s next? Might you write a follow-up book that explores the King Whisperer<br />

further, or do you begin working on a whole new topic?<br />

A: I'm trying to decide now what to write about next. I might focus on an untold story<br />

from history, or cover something more current and topical in today's political climate.<br />

And part of me wants to leap into historical fiction.<br />

<strong>Discussion</strong> questions<br />

1. Are there any characteristics or personality traits that are common in a majority of the<br />

King Whisperers introduced within the book?<br />

2. How has religion been a powerful influence to King Whisperers? Has it been mostly a<br />

positive force or a negative one?<br />

3. What makes the female King Whisperers stand out? How come most of the female<br />

figures listed are from the ancient world? Can you think of any modern day women<br />

that serve in this role?


4. Some historical periods fostered multiple King Whisperers often on opposing sides of<br />

an issue—consider the spread of communism in the early twentieth century, the final<br />

days of Rome, World War II, the Crusades, the Renaissance, even modern day US<br />

politics—did you notice any patterns emerge? Did certain situations lead to the rise of<br />

a specific King Whisperer archetype? Are there any patterns among time periods or<br />

nationalities?<br />

5. Can some of the figures profiled fit into more than one of the ten King Whisperer<br />

archetypes? What, for example, makes Zhou Enlai a rebel instead of a Machiavellian?<br />

Why is Big Jim Farley classified as a Kingmaker rather than a Fixer?<br />

6. What brought some of the figures from the ranks of schemers and empire builders to<br />

the ranks of the truly evil? <strong>Swint</strong> raises many intriguing questions in his description of<br />

this archetype. Does evil exist? Or does the idea of evil depend on whose side on is<br />

on? Is the concept of evil subjective and unequivocal, or is it cast in black and white?<br />

Were the truly evil figures profiled in The King Whisperers mentally ill or just<br />

seriously misguided?<br />

7. The King Whisperers “through a combination of political instinct, personal ambition,<br />

and opportunity have successfully driven political players and systems in a direction<br />

that advanced their own interests.” Why were these players unable to achieve the<br />

ultimate power—was it for these same reasons?<br />

8. Some of the King Whisperers became rulers themselves (Joseph Stalin, for instance).<br />

What made these men and women stand apart from the others? Why are they still<br />

categorized as King Whisperers?<br />

9. Was there a particular figure or archetype that stood out from the rest. What made this<br />

person or these persons different from their peers?<br />

10. Do you believe that the profiled figures would have had more success if they had<br />

utilized strategies detailed in the other King Whisperer archetypes? For example: If<br />

Trotsky had slipped into the role of Kingmaker or General, could he have beaten out<br />

Stalin for the coveted position as Lenin’s right-hand man?<br />

11. How do King Whisperers differ from the kings they serve? Can rulers get by without<br />

at least one person serving in this role?<br />

12. The book ends with an especially poignant quote from H.L. Mencken: “The urge to<br />

save humanity is almost always only a false face for the urge to rule it.” Based on the<br />

examples presented in The King Whisperers, does this statement prove to be true?<br />

A guide to the King Whisperer archetypes<br />

Machiavellians are the ‘political realists’ of history—those who counsel or practice<br />

hard-nosed power politics, along with threats, intimidation, and deception, in order to


ing stability and prosperity to their society. They also believed the success and<br />

security of the state come first; ethics second.<br />

Empire Builders have played decisive roles in building and supporting powerful<br />

institutions of which they were a part. These institutions may take various forms—<br />

government, business, and commercial, or social and religious.<br />

Kingmakers are powerful figures who arise through political or military systems but<br />

do not seek the top leadership positions for themselves, either because they are unable<br />

or unwilling to do so.<br />

Spies are some of the most clever and sometimes devious political masterminds. They<br />

are generally not from the ranks of the elites, and therefore are not rivals for the throne<br />

or candidates for supreme leader. Normally behind-the-scenes players, their<br />

understanding of the flow of information and how to attain it and use it are keys to<br />

their success.<br />

Silver-Tongued Devils are known for the ‘gift of gab’ or a charismatic presence that<br />

enabled them to succeed in politics and public life, whether it was due to great<br />

oratorical skill, the ability to sweet-talk friends and foes, or a display of diplomatic<br />

doublespeak.<br />

Generals have been in a position to exploit their power for personal or political gain.<br />

As Machiavelli said, a prince must always be knowledgeable about military affairs and<br />

strategy.<br />

Rebels led movements of rebellion and either toppled or replaced existing regimes;<br />

there were motivated by ideology, religion, economics and other factors.<br />

The Truly Evil, also dubbed the genocidal lunatics, were monsters, and sometimes<br />

thought to be mentally ill. Although the concept of a pure villainy may be difficult to<br />

define, it is easy to understand. These individuals stood apart from their whispering<br />

brethren.<br />

Fixers are brought in by leaders to perform specific functions; this is a uniquely<br />

American concept and most often includes political consultants and campaign<br />

managers.<br />

Schemers are the “wannabes” of history. They desperately seek to be in a position of<br />

power. Not many of them ever reach the “happily ever after” stage of politics. In fact,<br />

more often than not, they meet a premature, sometimes violent, end to their schemes.

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